


Written in Gold

by lover_of_blue_roses



Series: Smile Week 2020 [1]
Category: Bohemian Rhapsody (Movie 2018), Queen (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Hints at reincarnation, M/M, One Shot, half-angel!roger, smile week, supernatural known, the classic audition story, werewolf!tim - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-13
Updated: 2020-03-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23132428
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lover_of_blue_roses/pseuds/lover_of_blue_roses
Summary: Smile is holding auditions for a drummer and this nephilim shows up.AKA a twist on Roger's classic audition story
Relationships: Brian May/Roger Taylor, preslash - Relationship
Series: Smile Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1662739
Comments: 12
Kudos: 35
Collections: Smile Weekend





	Written in Gold

**Author's Note:**

> nephilim: half-angels, the children of angels with women

Tim was unofficial band leader, they weren't actually a band until they had all needed members and played some gigs, but still. Which is why he'd headed the search for their missing drummer, creating the flyers and deciding where and when the auditions were. But he wasn't a tyrant, just aware that decisions had to be made and someone had to make them. 

Some people, read:idiots, thought that werewolves much like wolves lived in an absolute hierarchy. This was completely wrong and came from a debunked study. There was no such thing as an 'alpha' in the wild and only very artificial short-term captivity situations produced them. Werewolves didn't need to be told this, they were well aware of how they actually behaved, as social pack animals, very similar to humans. But still the stereotype persisted and it was always complicating Tim's life. 

That's part of why he liked Brian so much, Brian was too clever to believe such malarky. Brian believes in equality for women, rights for black folks, he wasn't going to believe anything as stupid as absolute werewolf hierarchy anymore than blondes were dumb. 

They also had, very intentionally made no mention of supernaturals one way or another in the recruitment poster because they were interested in all and any types as long as they had talent but they also knew this could meant they'd get some applicants that might be bigots. But they decided it was better to just filter them afterwards. 

Brian's good judgement was why Tim was perfectly okay with scheduling one of the drummers' auditions when he wouldn't be able to attend because he'd be at work. Knowing and wholly trusting Brian to figure out if the lad was up to snuff. What Tim hadn't expected and couldn't have known would be that they'd know each other. 

Brian hadn't known what to expect, little information had been shared as only Tim had spoken over the telephone with the auditionee's friend to figure out time and place. Which is why Brian was unprepared to walk into Imperial's Jazz room, which he'd booked for the evening, to see the most beautiful man he'd ever seen hitting the skins, fiddling around, turning the knobs. 

He was dressed in patch jeans, well-worn chucks with a velvet shirt, leather jacket and a newsie cap. Not a single article looked like it matched, but what did Brian know about fashion, maybe denim, lime green, carmine and grey did go together. He tried to be concerned about that, as arguably one's choice of presentation showed whether or not they were a hip, trending, rock star potential, mate but he was so distracted by the rest. 

Roger was clearly a nephilim; if he was going to join the band there'd be no hiding that he was a supernatural. He had the androgynous look that was common of his species but if Brian was being honest, he wasn't sure that Roger didn't actually look more like a bird. Which- a bird certainly seemed the appropriate word. As if the five eyes weren't enough of a visible sign which he could conceivably hide under large sunglasses and bangs, he had giant wings. 

Unlike full-blooded angels whose flight was mostly powered by grace and their nebulous wings mostly for show, nephilims wings were feathered monstrosities that were as tall as their person and spanned nearly twice their arm span. Undoubtedly impractical between the molting, the grooming and sheer size they took up, but also extremely beautiful. 

Brian didn't even know what was most striking as his brain went on auto-pilot over normal social niceties. Between the stunning face that was sure to turn heads and also somehow seemed familiar, the undeniable supernatural nature of how imposing it all was- What snapped Brian out of it is whatever Roger is doing. "Um, what are you doing?" He's never seen anything like it, Roger is doing this odd, steady, military like roll on the kit.

Roger looks up at him, startled and confused, like he's just been asked a trick question, "...Tuning them?"

"I didn't know a drum could be tuned," Brian answers honestly, because he'd never heard let alone seen such a thing before. 

Roger just blinks once slowly as though he can't believe the sheer stupidity he just heard. "You thought we just assembled our kits and bang away at them?"

Brian bites his tongue this time and just allows Roger to demonstrate but if he's honest, he's already impressed. And demonstrate he does- It's- Brian can barely describe it, Roger's drumming is so melodical. Great energy, but very neat too, particularly with the snare drum. Unique, like nothing Brian had ever heard before in his life.

He stands there simply amazed for a moment more before taking Red out of her case, plugs himself up and joining in. He joins the ththththrump snare sound which starts very cleanly and precisely on time, and immediately Brian recognizes how huge they sound together. Roger is making his high-talk in such a distinctly unique way, it was simply wonderful and he could feel the unstoppable smile spreading across his face.

The music naturally dies down and Brian comes over, beaming and gushing about such talented drumming. Roger is clearly pleased and flattered, a faint blush appearing on his pale complexion, but he huffs and rolls his eyes to give Brian a hard time regardless. In explanation he simply looks the guitarist dead in the eyes and says, "It's called technique." 

Some people, maybe someone that wasn't as down-to-earth as Brian might have been offended but all Brian can do is marvel, what he just heard was quite magical especially when placed with his guitar. It's not just the sound that's amazing, it's that it's the sound he's been looking for. Also it was good that Roger had spunk, he'd need it if he didn't want to get run rough shot by Tim and Brian's rather willful opinions. 

That being said Brian can't help but to poke back, "Oh is that what it is?"

Roger huffs, clearly not as upset as he's playing at, looking up at Brian with a smile, "You guitarists, it's all the same. All you think about is the guitars, that's all you hear when you listen to a record. Typical. Only think drums are things you hit."

Brian smiled some more, it was clear that the livid color of his wings was appropriate for his personality. "Oh, well, I'm very sorry, can't imagine where I got the idea that drums where things you hit."

"And what, are drummers things you hit on?" Roger retorted back flirtatiously.

Brian stared at being addressed so directly before ducking his head, nearly hiding behind his guitar as he focused on the strings he was strumming. He could feel his cheeks starting to heat up. He hadn't even consciously intended to flirt but there could be no denying that he had, it had just come so naturally and easy, like they'd done it a thousand times before. Brian didn't believe in homophobia anymore than any other kind of discrimination but he wasn't use to being so directly confronted with a man's feelings. Maybe it was different for nephilims, as they are half-angels and angels don't have gender but Brian can't help but to feel it is special, meaningful in someway; there's just something about Roger. 

For today, for their first time ever meeting, he decides to not face it straight away, focusing instead rather on the music as they continue to jam. And that's how he discovers that nephilims or at least Roger does in fact have a nimbus when truly happy and at peace.


End file.
